ESPN reveals why he was brought to tears after Ohio State won the national championship
ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit was visibly emotional after watching his alma mater, the Ohio State Buckeyes, win College football National championship playoff game, and the reason is now known.
Herbstreit appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show,” where he not only discussed his son’s medical complications, but Buckeyes walk-on tight end Zak Herbstreit passed, but also revealed that his wife, Ally, had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
“It was almost like a perfect storm for me,” Herbstreit told McAfee and his crew about his emotions during the postgame show as Ohio State celebrated the win. “My son had heart failure two years ago and they talked about a heart replacement for a while. He had to take a medical retirement and I think I’m grateful that Ryan Day embraced Zak and kept him involved.
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ABC football analyst Kirk Herbstreit watches before the college football game between the Oregon Ducks and the Arizona State Sun Devils on November 23, 2019 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“…Ally, my wife, has been dealing with some things. It’s been a tough year for me behind the scenes. My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, you know (the family dog) Ben dying. It was just a lot of emotions, and when you do what we do, you endure. You do your job.
“I think I was very happy about what happened, when they won Ryan Day and those players, from what they faced and what they went through. It was almost like a relief, and it just overwhelmed me.”
OHIO STATE FOOTBALL STRAINER KIRK HERBSTREIT PAINS DURING BREAK AFTER BUCKEYES WIN NATIONAL TITLE
The Herbstreits met during their time together at Ohio State, where Kirk was a four-year letterman at quarterback and Ally was a cheerleader. After the wedding, they had four sons, including Zak, who remained with the Buckeyes despite having to retire due to heart failure.
After calling the Buckeyes’ 34-23 victory alongside Chris Fowler, Herbstreit was on the postgame show when Scott Van Pelt decided to start the Ohio State alum after seeing him teary-eyed.
Herbstreit didn’t mention what he told McAfee, but he did discuss the resiliency of this Buckeyes group this season.
ESPN commentator Kirk Herbstreit is on the field before the Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Ohio State Buckeyes on Dec. 31, 2022, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“Oh, don’t get started on me, man,” Herbstreit, who grew up about an hour away from Ohio State in Centerville, told Van Pelt during the postgame show. “I’m a little emotional. I’m really fired up for these guys.
“When I call these games, I’m incredibly objective. You know, I love all those Ohio State teams, but this team, because of what they’ve been through to get to this point, you’re just happy.”
When the cameras returned to the broadcast booth, Herbstreit was seen grabbing a handkerchief from the camera to wipe away tears as Fowler continued to speak.
Kirk Herbstreit watches from the sidelines before the “Thursday Night Football” game on Amazon Prime at FedEx Field on October 5, 2023 in Landover, Maryland. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
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As Herbstreit mentioned, it’s been a tough year for him personally, but he’s made it through the college and NFL seasons, as he also works with Al Michaels during Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football.”
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